Page 34 - GBC winter issue ENG 2019

be triggered at different distances as the golfer approaches the pro shop, or specials at the clubhouse can be triggered when they leave the 18th green.
Beacon technology also pres- ents the opportunity to partner with 3rd party advertisers for targeted marketing. For example, you could run a contest on the tee off at hole 8 that any golfer who birdies hole 8 wins a dinner for two at Swiss Chalet and a hat. This would be an ideal 3rd party advertisement, because every golf- er will see it regardless of if they hit a birdie.
To round out their gol ng experience, a thank you message and reminders of upcoming events can be sent to golfers when they are leaving your facility. There is no other inexpensive technology that can pinpoint such an accurate location.
Another important usage is employee management and communications. Everyone has a mobile device now and with a proper back end system that manages the beacons, different content can be sent to employees versus customers. Employees could get an updated schedule every day or special instruction or information that pertains to a certain day or event.
Employees would have to be on site and within range of a beacon, but with a good back end portal, a push message could be sent simultaneously to an employee’s mobile device anywhere. This message could also be tailored, by time, location and by employee. For example, sending different messages to your grounds crew versus your clubhouse staff.
It is just as important to have a very good back end system that sets up the beacons and manages your promotions and content. With this in place you can manage what ads, promotions or messages go to each beacon. Promotions can be updated in real time and take effect instantly. You can distinguish if the message goes to employees or customers or even a certain group of customers. You can set up time periods, where promotions can be sent by time, day or vary on different days.
While some of this can be accomplished with geo-fence, beacons are more accurate and can achieve better results at a fraction of the cost. A message can be triggered at very close proximity, such as one meter, and include a very detailed message such as the promotion of a speci c driver in the pro shop. Cost is the big difference, as beacon technology is more affordable than geo-fence technology.
LOW COST TO ADVERTISE
Another signi cant advantage to a golf course is the very low cost to advertise with beacon and mobile devices. It is fractions of the cost to traditional advertising and is highly targeted. It is “in the moment” when a consumer is most likely to take advantage of promotions and deals.
Traditional advertising and internet advertising use the blanket or shotgun approach. With paper mediaitisverydif culttomeasure the effectiveness. On the internet, millions of ad impressions will be placed, and they will measure click-throughs. Even so, how many times have you clicked on an ad by mistake or because you were forced to, just to proceed to a website?
With a good beacon platform, you can accurately measure how many ads were triggered and how many were acted on. The conversion rate with proximity marketing is higher than anything else in the advertising world. Paper coupons still dominate, representing 93.7% of coupons. Their redemption rate is very poor, about 0.06%.
With the advent of digital coupons, the total redemption rate of both combined has moved up to about 2%. Juniperresearch.com predicts that by 2022 nearly 80% of coupon redemption will come from mobile.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Beacon technology has come of age and can be one of the greatest and latest things to improve the gol ng experience. Combined with the proper back end support, such as Heelo’s ping system, it can provide real time marketing and promotions, loyalty rewards and track statistics for your operation. It can also help grow your bottom line with paid 3rd party advertising and easier registration for events. So, are you listening? Because beacon technology de nitely has
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Golf Business Canada
REFERENCES: www.amarinfotech.com/differences-comparisons-bluetooth-5-vs-4-2.html www.heelocoupons.com
www.sun-sentinel.com
www.juniperresearch.com